On September 23, 2024, the American International University–Bangladesh (AIUB) successfully organized an inspiring seminar entitled “Female Students Career-Building Opportunities in Power Sector” in collaboration with WePOWER Bangladesh National Chapter.
The seminar aimed to encourage final-year female students from the Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE), Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), and Industrial and Production Engineering (IPE) departments to pursue careers in the power sector by sharing valuable insights into industry experiences and accomplishments. The event was attended by approximately 40 students and 9 faculty members from various engineering disciplines.
At the beginning, Mr. Faizul Karim (WePOWER Bangladesh National Chapter, Senior Officer, The World Bank) introduced WePOWER Bangladesh National Chapter briefly and mentioned that WePOWER is a vibrant voluntary women’s professional network in Energy and Power Sector in South Asia that supports women's participation in energy projects and institutions and promotes normative change regarding women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education.
Prof. Dr. Md. Abdur Rahman (Pro Vice Chancellor, AIUB) highlighted the significant contributions of active working women in power generation organizations and power distribution industries during his welcome address. He emphasized their roles and responsibilities, underlining their leadership, technical expertise, and the importance of gender diversity in these critical sectors.
Following the welcome speech, the host introduced sequentially Ms. Jorifa Khatun (Director, Directorate of System Planning, BPDB), Ms. Shahin Are Begum (Executive Engineer, Planning and Design Division, DESCO), Ms. Sharmin Aktar (Executive Engineer, ECCB), Ms. Kaniz Fatema Khondaker (Deputy Project Director, Power Grid Bangladesh PLC), Ms. Ivy Nahar Tisha (Deputy Director, Technical, BREB), Ms. Kashfia Zaman (Assistant Manager (Project Development), Grameen Shakti), and Mr. Md. Aminur Rahman (Deputy Director, BPMI). The speakers provided an overview of their organizations' work environments and shared their professional experiences. They extended an invitation to the female students in attendance to explore career opportunities within their organizations, outlining the qualifications necessary for various job roles. Additionally, the speakers highlighted the facilities and support systems available to female employees, emphasizing their commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive workplace. During the Q&A session, the speakers expressed a strong interest in initiating collaborative research projects with both students and faculty members in the power and energy engineering field.
In the closing session, the vote of thanks was delivered by Prof. Dr. Farheen Hassan (Director, Institutional Quality Assurance Cell, AIUB), where she shared the concluding remarks of the session by appreciating the resourceful presentations of the speakers and thanked all the participants, AIUB management and WePOWER. Finally, Prof. Dr. Farheen Hassan (Director, Institutional Quality Assurance Cell, AIUB), Dr. Md. Saniat Rahman Zishan (Director and Associate Professor, Faculty of Engineering, AIUB) and Ms. Susmita Ghosh (Associate Professor, Faculty of Engineering and Assessor, IQAC, AIUB) handed over the token of appreciation to all the esteemed speakers. The event was also graced by Dr. Humayra Ferdous (Associate Professor and Head, Department of Physics), Ms. Nuzat Nuary Alam (Assistant Professor, Faculty of Engineering), Dr. Effat Jahan (Assistant Professor, Faculty of Engineering), Ms. Nazia Farhana (Assistant Professor, Faculty of Business Administration) and Ms. Tahseen Asma Meem (Assistant Professor, Faculty of Engineering).
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